Like Violence
by dogpoker
Summary: In the midst of war, a few 17 year olds don't have time to stop and think about what they're doing. She is no exception if she acts on every thought and falls for someone darker then she. A story filled with new hope and possibilities.
1. Moving On

**Author's Note:** I have already written it the whole thing but it will be up to the fans who want to read it. For every three reviews I will update. I'm sure by now you all already know that I am **not** J.K. Rowling and without her wonderful mind I would not be writing this. It's rating has come from later chapters and like I said before, if you want to read them I am requiring at least three reviews for each chapter. Recognition comes with those reviewsmight I add.

Anywho, let me get to the story. It's a short chapter but hopefully enough to lure you in.

* * *

**Chapter One**

It was raining, just like it had been the day before, and the day before that. It was the last week of summer and Hermione would do just about anything to escape the yelling and pounding of her father.

She studied the bruises on her cheek, the cut on her chest. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were red. Her lips were chapped and her heart felt so broke. She looked down at the cover up and then caked it on her face and her chest.

Hermione tucked her hair behind her ears and looked at herself once more. She swallowed hard, blinking back tears; she could hear her sister crying. She only wished that she could take Ada with her to school, but she didn't qualify for a witch.

And then her dad started yelling again. "You have no right telling me what to do, whore!" Hermione bit into her lip, grabbing a vase that her father's mother had made. She clenched her teeth and opened her bedroom door. She walked to the top of the stairs and watched her father slap her mother. He was the devil in the flesh, Hermione had guessed. She glared at him and he looked up finally noticing her.

"What do you want, witch?" he spat. She kept her weak but miserable stare on him. "Well…get out of her if you've nothing to say?" Hermione swallowed and stepped back out of his view. He continued yelling and hurting her mother. Claudia Granger screamed and in it echoed her emotions, feeling like no one could hear her.

"I'll kill you if you don't shut up." Hermione clenched her jaw again and then walked down the stairs, holding the vase tightly, it beginning to crack under the pressure. Hermione walked up to him and threw the vase at his head. He stood up almost straight, in a daze, blood trickling from his forehead. His hands reached for her throat, but she pulled out her wand from her back pocket and pointed it at his throat.

"I'll kill you if you don't stop hurting us." Hermione said dully. Hermione applied pressure to the wand and sparks started coming out the end and shocking him. He fell limp and then to the ground. Hermione swallowed once again.

She looked at Claudia and then grabbed her by the hand. She sniffed, licked her lips and then said, "We need to leave. I'm sure the Weasley's won't mind if we stay there."

"Hermione, I can't," she said through a watery voice. "I have a job. It's not that easy."

"It _IS_ that easy if he hurts Ada, mum, and he already did. The only reason she didn't tell you is because she didn't want him to hurt you again!" Hermione yelled. "I'm going to pack my stuff and we're leaving." She turned and went upstairs. Ada was waiting outside of her room. Hermione looked at her.

"Are we going?" Ada asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said nodding her head.


	2. A Tired Start

**Author's Note**: I know I said I was requiring three reviews per chapter but the beginning of this story is very slow so what I think I'm going to do is post this chapter and then the third one to see what I come up with.

**Chapter Two**

Hermione had left for Hogwarts along with Harry, Ron and Ginny early. Mrs. Weasley said it was for the best, to help with Claudia's coping. McGonagall had said it was alright with her if they at least helped out with the school before the students arrived.

They had been cleaning the trophies for the past hour and not one word had been said. Ron, Ginny and Harry didn't know how to bring up a subject that didn't revolve around something gloomy. But finally, Ron couldn't handle it anymore…

"Do you honestly think Malfoy will be placed as one of the head boys?" he asked. Ginny slapped him lightly on the arm. Hermione had remembered that the school was tightening up security and trying to bring the school closer together by having two head boys and girls. She had told them that Quidditch wasn't going to be the same as well. Harry practically vomited over it.

"I mean, if it's not me and obviously if Harry was the second choice and you were a first, that gives a definite hint." Ron said. "She would obviously want Harry to make sure you wouldn't get hurt."

"Right, because I've already got too many bruises and scratches to not learn how to defend myself." Hermione said looking at the name of the trophy she was polishing.

"I wasn't saying that, Hermione." Ron said.

_Hermione Granger: Brightest Witch of Her Time_

She shook her head. They had never even showed her this award. It didn't matter anyway; she wasn't looking or feeling so bright lately. She put it back on the shelf and looked at Ron.

"I'm sorry I've been so down lately, guys. Harry's been through tons of stuff and got over it. I shouldn't always have to bring you down with me when I fall." Hermione felt the tears already stinging her eyes.

"You don't have to be sorry, Hermione. This is a big thing." Harry said. Hermione shook her head again and got up. They had finished and were over polishing trophies. Ginny, Ron and Harry followed her down to the Great Hall. They sat down on the Gryffindor side, but it was no longer known as that anymore. The flags that were usually hanging above the tables were gone and now you could sit wherever you wanted.

"Do you ever wonder what gives us these powers?" Ron asked. "Like what makes us witches and wizards?"

"All the time." Harry said. "It's kind of odd." Ginny nodded in agreement.

Hermione turned and saw the professor's enter the Great Hall. They all nodded at the three students. And then two more students entered. It was Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Hermione closed her eyes, clenching her teeth.

"They're it." Ginny whispered.

"Harry and Hermione would you mind following us?" McGonagall asked. Harry and Hermione got up and followed Pansy and Draco. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and she squeezed it as hard as she could to let out her anger. She then let go as the approached the circle of the professor's and the head students.

"Now, as you know, we will not take any nonsense from the four of you. We expect you to set the school straight, to teach them that life is not all about rivalry. Quidditch will be different. Harry and Draco will be on the same team, Harry the captain-"

"Are you serious?" Pansy blurted out. "That's stupid! You can't expect anyone to be interested in it after-"

"Pansy…" Slughorn warned.

"There will be more teams, but if you all can control yourself over the selections, we may bring back the original way of playing. Points will be given out less and there will be much more group work. No matter how hard you try, none of you will be able to get out of this position or make other's lose this position. I expect the best out of the head boys and girls." McGonagall said. "As you know, I will be too busy to continue teaching Transfiguration as the headmistress, so we have two new professors, taking over my post and Snape's…" She looked straight at Draco as she said his name. She stepped back and two young looking twin witches appeared. They had brown hair, icy purple eyes and fair skin. "You will call them by their first names, considering they have the same last names."

"How can we tell them apart though?" Harry asked.

"I thought it was obvious, Potter." McGonagall continued. "Can anyone point out the difference?" Hermione looked closely and then noticed one had a red badge on her cloak.

"One's the head of Gryffindor." Hermione spoke up.

"And their hairstyles are different of course." Pansy said. Hermione flushed, noticing one had her hair straight and the other's was in soft curls. They smiled.

"Correct, for the both of you." Hagrid said in a jolly voice. Harry smiled at him

"Well, introduce yourselves." McGonagall told them with a grin. They giggled.

"We're from England of course, but our parents thought it would be safer to teach us at home." The head of Gryffindor started. "But finally we decided we needed to see more of what the real Wizarding world was like."

"So we applied for these jobs." Straight haired girl said. "I know we look young, but we have enough experience to enforce a little bit of cooperation here. Now, my name is Annie Cavanaugh."

"And I'm Jane Cavanaugh." Jane looked at Hermione. Was it a coincidence that her name was Jane and Hermione's middle name was Jane?

"Now, we will be starting opening ceremonies soon. You four will sit with us. I expect you all to be on your best behavior." Draco shot Harry a look, but Hermione stepped a little ahead to block Draco's view. She glared at him, the same glare she gave her father.

So they sat at the table as the students began to load in and sit where ever they pleased. Hermione sat up straight and looked at Harry. She then turned and looked at Draco. He looked at her as well.

"Got something to say?" He whispered into her ear.

"Your not worthy of my words, Malfoy." She whispered back looking at Ron who was very angry. Draco smirked and pulled back. The process of sorting students had begun, but the clapping and cheering Hermione had remembered when someone got placed in a certain house had faded greatly.

"Well you just spoke to me." Draco told her, leaning over his chair. She kept her hard look ahead and didn't move, even though he was touching her arm and sending a tingling through her whole body. He looked at Ron and then back at her. "Weasley going to hurt me if I grab your hand, Granger?" He asked, while reaching for her delicate fingers. Finally she looked at him, tearing her hand away from his grip. He smirked once more.

"Ron and I are no more then friends, Malfoy."

"I'm so sure, Granger. But still, wouldn't he hurt me if I did this…" He touched her face, stroking it with his fingers, gently, but giving her a mischievous grin. "Or this…" His hand traveled down to her neck line and before he could go any further, she slapped him. There were gasps and loud turns as everyone tried to figure out with the sound had come from. Hermione sat up straight and so did Draco.

Finally everyone turned back around and paid their attention to McGonagall. "What was that, Hermione?" Harry asked leaning over. She looked at him.

"I don't know," she said casually. "Don't worry about it." He sat back up and looked around.

Hermione bit her lip as Draco leaned towards her again. "So are you going to go running to Daddy now that _I _touched you? You going to get someone who knows how to teach someone else a lesson to gang up on me? Or was that just women he beat on?" Hermione turned to look at him again. She clenched her teeth as he moved her robe from her bruise. "Nasty one, you got. Bet Mummy's are worse." His index finger caressed the spot a little and then he broke away to grin at her.

"Don't touch me, Malfoy. They say I can't get you out of this school, but I assure you I will." He shook his head laughing a little.

"I only wish the best for all of the 7th years; they've had a rough time here but still they decide to come back for one more year. I've hand picked only the very best students for the head girls and boys." McGonagall said turning to look at them. "Hermione Granger," Many of the 7th years from Gryffindor clapped as she stood up. "Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and Harry Potter. I know many of you are suspecting that Hogwarts will be a mad house with these four, but have promised to lead you to peace and harmony here." They sat down as she went onto her next subject, about the professors and the greatly missed Dumbledore.

Hermione grabbed Harry's hand, hoping that he would feel some support while she went on about one of Harry's last hopes for surviving in the world.

Finally when it was over, the head boys and girls headed up to their dormitories, ready to sleep. Hermione entered an off white room, with one four poster bed. Thank God the professors decided to not make the four share rooms. There was so much to think about and the last six years of sharing a dorm had greatly annoyed her. She could hardly study sometimes.

Hermione collapsed onto the bed which was covered in white satin sheets with tassels on the end. She sighed looking up at her chandelier. It was ugly. She hated chandeliers, she much preferred ceiling fans.

She abruptly sat up as her door swung up and made a loud crash as it hit the wall. It was Draco. He stared at her like she was crazy. She stared at him like he was an alien. "Knocking's good," Hermione said.

"Why does a mudblood get the best room?" Draco sneered.

"Because I didn't have to carry Parkinson up the stairs. The door's behind you if you haven't noticed." He smirked at her, turned around and left, slamming the door. Hermione lay back down and continued looking at the light. She wondered how he had found out about her father's problems. She had only told Ron and Harry, no one else.

She rolled to her side, tiredly and fell asleep fast. There was nothing more she needed to think about.


	3. Maroon Scarf

**Author's Note: **Like I said before, I was going to post chapter three to get more people hooked because this is the chapter where things get interesting..:-)!Hopefully I get more **reviews**. PS- Thanks to the people who reviewed for my first chapter and any who review this one and/or chapter two.

**Chapter Three**

Hermione had gone through the week successfully, meaning she had beat Malfoy in all of the debates she had with him in the classes they had together. She stepped into the common room, finding Pansy indulging in a free choice book. She hadn't even noticed Hermione coming in. Was Pansy the _real_ book worm?

"Hello, Parkinson. See you've got a good book there." Hermione said. Pansy was so surprised that her hands flopped around, making the book fly up into the air and falling onto the ground. She had lost her spot.

"My _God_, Granger, you just gave me about a heart attack and a half." Hermione smirked.

"Half way to accomplishing my mission, huh?" Hermione said. Pansy gave her a glare.

"Bet your used to them; your mum probably had one every day when daddy comes home, huh?" Hermione glared at Pansy as she took her Potions book out.

"How do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid, Granger. Make up can't cover _everything_ up. It's on your collar bone. Don't expect me to feel sorry for you either, you deserve it."

"I wouldn't want a dog's pity anyway." Hermione said coldly.

"What'd you call me?" Pansy asked, sitting up straighter.

"A _dog!_ A filthy, bitch actually." Hermione said, grabbing her quills. Pansy got up off the couch and walked towards Hermione.

"Say it again, Granger. Say it again and I will tear your bush of hair out."

"Is that a threat, _mutt_?" Hermione asked. Pansy started to reach when Harry came in through the portrait hole, pointing his wand straight at Pansy.

"You touch her, Parkinson and its over." Harry warned. Pansy lowered her hands and then squeezed past Hermione, stomping towards her room. She slammed the door. Hermione turned and looked at Hermione.

"I'm lucky you came in," Hermione started. "I might have stabbed her with a quill." Hermione held up her quills and smiled. Harry walked her way and hugged her. She began to cry which was odd.

Draco walked into the room laughing. "Aww, what a cute moment. Potter and Granger, the perfect _loser_ couple." Hermione broke away from Harry, took a step towards Draco and then plunked him in the cheek.

"You're just lucky I didn't stab your dog of a girlfriend with a quill, Malfoy!" Hermione yelled. Draco stood up straight and glared at her and Harry.

"Touch me again, Granger…" Draco threatened. Hermione slapped him and gave him a devilish look.

"What we're you saying, Malfoy?" Seamus Finnegan asked as he stepped in with Ron by his side. Hermione looked at Harry, figuring that he gave them the password. Draco glared at the Gryffindors.

"I was saying that if you don't leave me and Pansy alone-"

"That you'll get Voldemort to come and eat us all with his ugly teeth and blind us with his ugly eyes." Hermione interrupted. "You heard me, Malfoy, I'm not scared of Voldemort, and you of all people should know that by now. _Bring it on!_" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs. Harry picked her up by the waist and hung her over his shoulder. He stepped into his room, slammed the door and then locked it. He threw her onto the bed and looked at her like she was crazy.

"What are thinking? When you say that, Hermione, your gonna….your bound to be in trouble now. Do you realize what Draco did to Dumbledore last year? He could get Voldemort to kill the whole school if he wanted to, but he only wants me. Don't become one of his targets too."

"I'll do whatever I please, Harry." She stood up and he grabbed her, but she tore away from his tight grip, walked out of the room and saw that no one was there. She looked at the imprint that Harry had left on her arm. Had she become numb to pain?

Hermione sat on the couch studying her homework to see if it was perfect. Pansy and Draco had been fighting ever since her fight with them. Her head ached from their voices and finally it stopped when Draco came out and looked at her, like she had ruined everything.

"Why can't you ever keep your mouth shut about things, Granger?"

"What did I say, Malfoy? That you molested me the first day we got here?" She asked as Pansy came out behind him. She stopped in mid-step, turned and glared at him. He swallowed hard and angrily. "Oops, guess she didn't hear about that one."

"Granger, shut up! You aren't he-" Pansy started.

"Believe me, Parkinson; I _am_ helping you by breaking you up with this pig." She glared at Hermione, and then stomped out of the dormitories.

Draco kept staring at her like she was a deer he was about to kill with a gun. He was a hunter that was hungry, a hunter that had a lust to kill. He charged towards her and held her by her neck, pressing his fingers tightly into her flesh. She struggled to breathe, but didn't show a sign of it. "You have some balls, Granger, to ruin my relationships." She swallowed and kept looking at him. Finally he let go of her and turned to leave. Hermione got up though and pushed his front side against the wall.

"You have some balls, Malfoy, to put your hands on me like that, 'cause, darling, the truth is, you wouldn't last a day in my shoes." She pressed him harder and then backed away. Hermione watched him turn around and stare at her, not like a deer this time, but like she was a crazy woman.

"What was that?" He asked.

"What?"

"The thing you just did to me? If you thought you were being molested, then you should have just seen what you did." She bit her bottom lip.

"Sorry, Malfoy, didn't mean to scare you."

"It doesn't take much to do that." He mumbled walking into his room, without closing the door. Hermione stood and stared at him as he pulled his shirt over his head. She had never seen him without clothing. It was odd and awkward to even look at him. He had a nice set of abdominals, and his chest was nice as well. He turned around setting his shirt on the bed. His back was also very muscular. Hermione had a sudden urge to go up and touch him, like he was a butterfly. Like he was a statue.

Hermione swallowed, taking off her maroon scarf belt. She quietly walked towards him and inhaled his scent. It made her stomach tingle. She did one last nervous swallow before wrapping the belt around his eyes. She tied it securely and then ran her hands down his head, his neck, his shoulders and his back. His hands felt around behind him and grabbed her arms. He pulled her closer towards him and she let her hands explore the front of him. He turned around and slid his hands up her white blouse. She inhaled greatly as he touched her breasts lightly. Her mind was racing as she pushed his hands away.

"_Pansy_," he cooed into her ear. "You know I love you." He kissed her once and then she tore away, she turned around praying for no one to be there. She ran into her room and slammed the door. With her back against the door she recapped what she had just done. Draco had thought she was Pansy and kissed her and let her explored his upper body.

Draco untied the cover around his eyes and looked around in pure confusion. He walked through the door way and crossed into Pansy's room. She wasn't there and the door was open; a door had slammed however.

He walked towards Hermione's room and tried to open it but it was jammed shut. His mouth opened a little bit, recognizing the feeling of frustration after you can't get a door open because you slammed it shut. He pushed it open though and there was Hermione laying beneath her covers and looking out the window.

"This yours?" he asked holding up the scarf. She looked at him and shook her head. "Well I'll leave it here considering I saw you wearing it today." He said angrily, dropping the scarf on the floor and exiting her room, slamming the door. He couldn't even believe it; had he really just touched Granger and kissed her? Did she touch him like she wanted him? Or was it just a tease?

Because he felt like he had just been teased.


	4. Out of Sympathy

**Author's Note:** It's a short chapter , and quite simple but after this the chapters will get longer and it will get more interesting. I **promise** :)

**Chapter Four**

Hermione woke up that Sunday feeling extremely hungry and smelling waffles from the common room. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and stretched. She was still in her jeans and shirt. She huffed and then quickly changed into some pajamas. People would suspect something was wrong with her if she came out wearing the same thing as the day before.

She walked out into the common room and saw a bunch of Slytherins sitting around eating and talking. They looked at her, but their looks turned into glowers. Draco's didn't change though.

"What are they doing here, Malfoy? No one is supposed to know the password." Hermione warned.

"Well Weaslby and Finnegan stopped by yesterday, didn't they?"

"I had no control over that and you know that. I was too busy fighting with you."

"And possibly touching me," He mumbled, but only she understood it.

"That wasn't me. That's your girlfriend's scarf." She turned her hard stare to the other Slytherins. "Now get out or I'll give you all three weeks worth of detention." They stood up and left obediently. Draco kept looking at her as she sat down and grabbed a piece of toast that hadn't been devoured by the lards.

"I know it was you, Granger. Stop pretending."

"Why should I waste my energy to lie to you? Your not worthy of that, remember?"

"Apparently I am,"

"Fine then, what if I say that it was me? What will you do?" Hermione asked. He blinked unsurely. She waited for a response. "Well…"

"I don't believe it. You didn't do that. You don't have the guts to."

"Then I didn't."

"But it's your scarf."

"Then I did."

"Still, I can't picture it being you."

"Then I didn't."

"But you pulled away. Pansy doesn't do that."

"Then I did."

"For God sakes, Granger did you or did you not?"

"Maybe." He swallowed and then got in front of her as she started to walk away. He grabbed her hand and smelled her. He put her hand on his chest and softly ran it along his abs. Then he kissed her, out of nowhere. She pushed him away in shock.

"It was you. You pushed me away like that. And your lips are dry and Pansy's are always wet." Hermione got up in sheer embarrassment.

"Gosh, Malfoy, don't get your knickers in a twist. So what if I did that."

"So what? _So what?_" He said. "Granger, this is a huge thing." He grabbed a hold of her hand and looked at her. "What made you do that?"

"I don't know, Malfoy." She tried to get away, but he kept her in his grip.

"Tell me, Granger."

"Because you looked better then a perfect sculpture." He studied her expression and then noticed how she had tried to cover up a bruise on her cheek with make up.

"Does it hurt when he hits you, Granger?" He asked out of understanding, but she took it the wrong way.

"You bloody bastard…" she said through clenched teeth, ripping out of his grip and picking up a china plate. She held it in the air like she was going to throw it if he came any closer to her.

"I didn't mean it like that, Granger. Out of sympathy…"

"If you must know, yes it does hurt." Tears glazed her eyes and then Harry came in. Right away he took out his wand from his back pocket and jinxed Malfoy. Hermione screamed as he fell back wards, rolling over the couch. Hermione's jaw dropped as she saw Malfoy in a state of hurt. She looked at Harry, biting her lip, turned around and ran to her room, slammed the door and locking it. She didn't want to hear the yelling of Malfoy and Harry, she couldn't take it, and she didn't have the energy.

And she was still hungry.

She listened for a half hour but there was no yelling and no talking, not even stomping. She wondered what had happened after she had run away from the scene. Hermione got up and opened the door, seeing that there was no one in the room. She let out a sigh of relief. Hermione went back into her room and changed into some regular clothes.

She hurried down to the Great Hall to find Harry. He was sitting with Ginny and Ron at his side. She sat across from them and stared at Harry. "You decided to come out of hiding?" Harry asked.

"I got bored." She said as she looked at her hands, her dry, sore hands. She remembered the first night she heard the yelling. She heard the pounding against the wall as was holding a vase she had made for her father. She opened the door, walked across the hall and entered her parent's room. His hand was raised above Claudia. Hermione braced herself for what was to come next. She squeezed her hand tightly around the vase, feeling it crack under the pressure. She felt it break and the pieces stabbing her soft skin. She dropped the rest as he swung down as hard as he could. Tears fiercely stung her eyes as she bit down onto her lip. He turned and looked at Hermione. He broke away from Claudia, pushed Hermione out of the room and then slammed the door in her face.

Hermione's stomach groaned and rumbled. She looked over at the Great Hall doors as Jane Cavanaugh entered. Jane looked at Hermione out of the corner of her eye and then in back of Hermione. In back of her was the old Slytherin table, where most of the Slytherins still sat. Hermione grabbed some food and started eating, wondering why the Cavanaughs always seemed to keep the closest eye on the four head girls and boys more than the other professors.

She sighed, turning a little to see Draco and Crabbe talking. Draco looked up a little to catch a glimpse of her. She turned right around, feeling as if she wanted to cry.


	5. Stolen Entries

**Chapter Five**

Hermione was in the library. Studying for a transfiguration test. And then Pansy sat down across from her.

"You fancy Draco?" she asked. Hermione looked up at her like she was crazy.

"I hate him, Parkinson." She told her quietly. Pansy smirked. "Why?"

"Because I've seen the way you look at him in the Great Hall."

"That's nothing, Parkinson." Pansy smirked again. "I hate him…" Hermione said as tears flooded her eyes. She got up, grabbed her books and walked out of the library as fast as she could. She swallowed hard as she entered the common room and saw Draco in his room, sleeping.

She dropped her books on the table and went into her room. She scratched her head and shook her hands through her hair. Finally she took off her heavy robes and sighed heavily. The sting of her tears faded away. She turned and looked at Draco sleeping from her door way. Hermione was extremely taken aback when he cried out in his sleep, "Mum!" She smirked a little and then Harry came through the portrait hole with Ron. She straightened up a little and looked at them.

"Hermione have you seen a watch anywhere?" Harry asked.

"Err…no. Why?"

"We'll explain later. Come with us." Harry said. Hermione took one last glance at Draco before following her two best friends. They went into Harry's room and started going through his closet very sloppily.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"Looking for the map. We have a hunch. Actually…Ron came up with it." Harry told her.

"The map?" Hermione asked.

"The Marauder's Map, obviously."

"Well then why did you mention a watch?"

"Because…" Harry started, pulling out the map from his closet and unraveling it. "Slughorn is missing his watch. He was very nervous when asking us if we had seen it anywhere. It almost seemed like he didn't want _anybody_ to find it."

"What would you need the map for?" Hermione asked.

"Just because." Ron said as they exited the dormitories and went up to the highest floor. Hermione knew instantly where they were heading to. Hermione gulped as they stood in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

Harry started walking back and forth looking like he was thinking very hard. He was so concentrated Hermione had got lost in her memories once again. She remembered when Ada had first gotten hit. She had came home late one night from being in London with her aunt and found Ada in her own room, sleeping in her bed. She touched her shoulder and then gently turned her over. On her face was the red print of a hand. Her arms had bruises.

"Hermione," Ron whispered loudly. "Come _on_." Hermione woke up from her recollection and looked at him. The door was open. She walked through and saw a messy, messy living room. There were all kinds of weird experiments going on and a very old looking TV that had a screwy looking antenna. Hermione went straight to the book case and looked at all his books which happened to be in a weird language. She took one out and flipped through the pages. She didn't understand one word. She went to put it back but then saw the glimmering of silver. It was a watch.

Hermione grabbed it and then put the book back slowly, studying the watch. It had the Ravenclaw colors on it and then she looked at the face. It was a map and the start of the hands was in the center.

"Did he say what it looked like?" Hermione asked, still focusing on it. The hands weren't moving which was odd.

"Silver…that's all he said." Harry told her. He turned and looked at her for about two seconds and then walked over to her, to examine the watch with her. "This is it." Ron turned around too fast and tripped over a book. He groaned, but Harry and Hermione kept looking at the watch. Ron kicked the books away and Hermione looked over with a hard glare.

"Ron, those aren't _your_ books, so don't damage them." Hermione spat.

"Yeah, well he doesn't have to leave…_everything_ EVERYWHERE."

"Shh!" Harry said.

Ron noticed that papers had flown out from the books. He grabbed them and looked at them. It was a diary entry.

_I don't have much time to get rid of this. I honestly don't know how to destroy it. Dumbledore has told me to leave it in the hands of Harry, but I can't. It's too much. He's already got the weight of the world on his shoulders; I don't think I'll need to burden him with this. I'll put it where ever it needs to be. I'll put it in the Room of Requirement and never see it again. Yes, that's where it needs to go._

Ron stood up instantly hearing the voice of Slughorn. He crumpled up the paper and shoved it into his pocket. He then grabbed the other papers that had gotten loose and did the same thing.

Harry hastily put the watch in his pocket and they quickly exited the room. They reached the top of the stairs and saw Slughorn talking to Annie about the watch. He looked at them. He then looked away almost embarrassed. They slipped past the two and walked back to head boy and girl dormitories.

Hermione looked into Draco's room and he was still sleeping. They walked into Harry's room and closed the door. "Harry, why didn't you give it to him?" Hermione asked right away.

"Hermione, we have to find out what it's for." Harry and Hermione started arguing about what was right and what was wrong. Ron took out the entries and continued reading.

_I've done my best to put the cup in the right place. I don't think Riddle will have a chance finding it. I do however know that what Malfoy has done might make it a little simple for Riddle to find it. But for Riddle to get into the school seems quite impossible. I am so afraid of what's to come this year at Hogwarts. I should have resigned, but I can't leave Harry to fend for himself. It would be wrong._

"Ronald, what are you reading?" Hermione asked. It seemed their arguing had stopped and they had noticed Ron. Ron looked up as she gently took the paper from him. He didn't stop her. She had the right to know as much as he did. She read it quicker than a speeding bullet.

"_Ron_, you just took it! You didn't bother to tell us?"

"I didn't want to worry you…" He said shyly. Harry took the parchment and read through it about ten times before glaring at Ron.

"You didn't want to _worry_ us? Ron…this is about _me_!" Harry yelled looking at it and grabbing his hair. He looked crazy. "It's a _horcruxe_ he's talking about and it's in the Room of Requirement. The watch is the map of where it is."

"Well, he tells us where it is in the letter, I don't think we'll need a map…" Ron stated. Harry and Hermione both looked at each other, their minds both racing with questions and thoughts. Then it came to him; the Room of Requirement was just going to be a room, it was going to be more.

"Ron, let me see those." Harry said. Ron handed the rest to Harry and he skimmed through all of them. He stopped at the word 'jungle' though…

_If only there was some sort of jungle I could hide it. It would be perfect. I could throw it into the river because I know that Harry isn't a good swimmer-_

Harry stopped and looked up at them. He sighed heavily. "I'm hungry," he said. He let the paper fall to the ground. He suddenly felt scared for himself. Harry had no sort of protection against anything and he had just realized it. Dumbledore was really gone and was _never_ coming back.


	6. A Heart to Heart

**Chapter Six**

Hermione lay on her bed, reading the entries over and over again. There had to be a mistake somewhere. The rainforest couldn't stop them, but even if it could, Slughorn probably wouldn't expect them to find these.

It was late and she was getting bored of reading them. She yawned and stretched, looking out her window. The summer was almost finished and maybe it was time to catch one more of those sunsets. But someone had interrupted her thoughts. Hermione bolted upright and looked at Parkinson.

"Is it okay if I come in?" she asked shyly and self-consciously. Hermione nodded. Pansy closed the door behind her lightly and looked around Hermione's clean and organized room, with all its trinkets and heirlooms. "Your room is nice." She told her.

"Thanks," Hermione answered.

"I came to apologize for this morning. Mum is only letting me stay here if I'm not a jerk to everyone. And I'd like to stay here because…well…I'm a head girl and I love Draco. And also, McGonagall isn't letting us pass unless we've made a good name for Hogwarts again. The only way to do that is to put our differences aside and don't think I'm just trying to gain your trust because I want Voldemort back in the school." Hermione could hardly believe it. Pansy Parkinson was apologizing to _Hermione Granger_. Hermione stared in disbelief.

"Did you just ask for forgiveness?" Hermione asked, dazed.

"Yeah," Pansy said almost confidently.

"Okay, okay…Parkinson, yeah. Fine." She finally said, forcing a grin, and trying to keep her tears back. Pansy smiled and for the first time Hermione realized that she had perfect teeth.

"I have to go." Hermione said getting up and walking out of her own room. Pansy got up as well and watched her almost leave.

"Granger…wait." Pansy asked. Hermione stopped and turned.

"Yeah,"

"Where exactly are you going?" Hermione swallowed and then remembered. She wanted to watch one more sunset.

"To catch one last summer sunset." Hermione spoke the words in a watery voice.

"Mind if I come." Hermione shook her head and turned as she set out for the lake's brim. Pansy ran to her side and bit her lip nervously. Would the school really change if they saw some of the most different girls walking together to go watch a sunset?

They sat there together, picking grass up from the ground and splitting it apart. Finally Hermione looked at her. "How long have you and Draco been together?" she asked.

"A while, I guess. We haven't really kept track because there was never a point where he acting asked me to go steady with him, it just kind of happened. What about you and Weasley? I see the way he looks at you, Granger."

"We're nothing more then friends. He hasn't got the courage to make a move." Hermione had realized that she almost wanted him to make a move for her, to show that he really did care for her. She needed someone to do that. To care for her, to make sure she feels loved. She felt the water works getting to work and her eyelashes getting glued together by tears.

"Why not?"

"I don't know, Parkinson. Why don't you ask him?" Hermione said trying very hard to blink her tears back, but it was like a flood.

"Why are you crying, Grang-" She stopped, looking at Hermione. "Hermione…" She looked at Pansy. Pansy looked studied her face and noticed that underneath the make up was a bruise and a cut. Pansy felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me, Parkinson."

"I do though. You don't deserve the treatment you get. You deserve better, you know." Hermione kept looking at Pansy and sniffed. She then looked at the last few minutes of the sunset and then wiped her tears.

Hermione stood up and rubbed her eyes. Pansy stood up and then they walked back to the dorms. Hermione had never felt like such a loser before. She had just made Pansy Parkinson feel sorry for her which was a new record.


	7. Cedric, My First Love

**Author's Note:** Yes I did add three new chapters because I felt the story was going too slow and the chapters were too short so Chapter Seven will hopefully make up for that. If you don't like the way this chapter ends, do not tell me because this story is completely done and I will not change all 200 pages I wrote for one person. So here is lucky number chapter seven, enjoy!

**Chapter Seven**

Hermione lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling, imagining the swirls on it, spinning around uncontrollably. She thought of how children were dying because they didn't have any food and how they stayed in boxes. She wanted to help them. She wanted to give them food. Hermione rolled to her side. This time she thought about hands and how different they were. How people could crack their knuckles easily and how dangerous they could be at times. She thought her hands were somewhat pretty, but other's hands were sometimes ugly. They were somewhat romantic and-

Someone opened the door. Hermione turned her head slightly and saw Parkinson in her flannels. She expected something a little more sensual, but she made it look like it was the middle of winter. Hermione sat up. "Parkinson…you're up rather late."

"Your one to talk," Pansy said. She stepped in and gently closed the door. Then she flung herself onto the free side of Hermione's bed. She let out a deep breath of air. Hermione was very confused. "Your bed is so much more comfortable than the others."

"The others?" Hermione asked. Pansy looked up and smiled.

"Well, I've lain in Draco's and tested out Potter's while he was gone. But yours feels like it's completely made out of feathers."

"It is…" Hermione said moving the blankets from a free spot. She felt around a little bit and then felt a slight poking in her finger tip. She pulled it out and waved it in the air like a flag. Pansy stared at it and then grabbed it. "Quite annoying really, they stab me all the time."

"Well obviously, look at what you're wearing." Hermione looked down and remembered she was wearing a satin night gown that didn't cover much.

"It gets hot. I put out the damned fire, but it still lights back up." Pansy shook her head smiling and then fell back onto the bed. She stared up at the ceiling. Hermione got back to wondering what made her come in here.

"Why are you in here?"

"I got bored. I usually have someone to talk me to sleep, but sense I'm a head girl now and we don't share rooms, it's like being back at home. Every night was like a sleep over last year." Pansy said, snuggling under one of Hermione's many blankets. "And if you're so hot, why do you sleep with so many blankets?"

"I feel safer." Hermione confessed.

"I see," Pansy said. She seemed so hyper and full of energy. Hermione all the sudden felt weird because of it. "Don't you ever wonder, what life would be like, if Cedric hadn't died." Hermione was confused; she had no idea who Pansy was talking about. She didn't know a single person named….Cedric. Cedric Diggory. Oh, she remembered now. Yes, she remembered.

"I haven't thought about it in a long time, Parkinson." She tried ever so hard to forget Cedric; the way he smelled, the way her touched her…she had tried to forget everything.

"I think it's time to come clean, Granger. I saw you and him, in the winter, sitting together at dinner. And then I was walking to potions and heard you giggling like a goon. I saw you too practically canoodling. He told you to meet him in the Herbology green house that night. So I followed you. Quite young, but it was kind of funny that he deflowered you in a bloody green house." Hermione felt her heart stinging as she relived the night.

_Hermione jotted down some notes after her potions class and suddenly felt hands tangle around her waste. Then lips on her neck, traveling up to her ear lobe to nibble on it ever so lightly. She smiled, recognizing his scent right away. She turned and looked at Cedric Diggory. _

_She had fallen so in love with him ever since the first day of her fourth year. He had played a joke on her and then being the stubborn person she was, she went crazy and yelled at him. Finally he grabbed her and told her that he was sorry. She looked into his eyes and knew he was the one for her. _

_Hermione giggled as he put his hands on her waste. She kissed him quickly and then pulled away. "Cedric, you know we can't be seen together."_

"_Why not?" he asked, his lips pressing into her neck._

"_Harry would just go…ballistic on me." He pulled away and put his hand on her cheeks and stared at her. His eyes were a greenish hazel color and his face was as if it was chiseled by a master sculptor._

"_Then meet me tonight at 7:00, in the Herbology green house, the 3rd one of course. No one ever uses that one." Hermione smirked._

"_Okay, I'll be there." He gave her a look, that was so unbelievably happy, but he tried very hard to keep it in. _

_Hermione checked the clock about a billion times that night at dinner, so anxious to get to the green house. Finally it was almost 7:00. She got up and Harry and Ron stared at her in confusion. "Where are you going?" Ron asked._

"_I've got loads of homework." Hermione said quickly and then left the Great Hall. She bit her lip as she exited the school and felt the cool October air on his skin. Hermione had a sense of freeness when she was going somewhere to meet Cedric. He always had a surprise for her. _

_Hermione opened the door to the humid green house, set her bag down and looked around. There were roses everywhere, all different colors. And candles lit, just barely illuminating the place. Hermione walked towards a patch of peachy colored roses. She picked a few, but the petals instantly fell off. _

_Hermione crouched down to get the petals, feeling the warmth of another behind her. She stood back up and felt his body so close to her that it gave her the chills. "Hermione," he whispered, his hands removing the hair from her shoulders. She turned around instantly and looked at him. "I need to ask you a question?"_

"_Ask away, Cedric."_

"_Do you trust me?" he asked. Hermione was taken aback by this question. Of course she trusted him with her secrets. But was that really the question he was asking? She nodded anyway. He took her by the hand and kissed her. She returned the kiss more passionately with her tongue dancing upon his. His hands lingered on her hips for a bit and then slowly moved up towards her chest. Hermione pulled away and stopped them. _

"_Cedric…" she started looking at him. He looked confused. "I don't know if I'm quite ready for what it is you have in mind. I…I'm scared. I'm only fourteen, you're so much more experienced at this then I am."_

_He shook his head smiling, and put his hands on her face. "That's the thing though, I've never done this. I always wanted to do this with someone really special, who means a lot to me, who I loved. Now I know that it's you."_

"_Are you sure your not just using your pretty eyes and have done this before, or am I really the one."_

"_I love you, Hermione. I can't lie to you. I lose control when I haven't seen you in two hours. I can't concentrate on anything because I only think of you. I know, I know, I know…your only fourteen, but your something special, unlike the other girls I know. It's odd that-" Hermione put a finger to his lips._

"_Cedric, you're talking too much. Use those lips to convince me another way." Hermione said. He breathed a sigh of relief and then tried to kiss her again, but it seemed like he couldn't bring himself to do it. His eyes got teary for some reason. Hermione sighed and turned, moving the roses from the table. She sat down and pulled Cedric in between her legs. She put her hands on his neck and looked at him. Finally she kissed him and he kissed her back with his tongue._

_Hermione's hands found their way to his belt and took it off. She then started unbuttoning his white shirt, where she had found another shirt underneath. She wanted to groan, but held it in. Instead, she removed his robes, letting them drop to the floor. Hermione pulled his tie a little and he smirked in mid kiss. Then she took it off and quickly removed his white shirt._

_Cedric then moved her hands and got started on her own white shirt and tie. He slowly undid her tie and then started on her buttons. His hands grazed her breasts gently, giving her the chills, which went away quickly though. She was as well wearing a shirt underneath. He took off the white shirt and felt Hermione's lips to his neck. His breathing was heavier than he could control, but he continued his job of taking off her shoes, rubbing her feet out of soreness and then starting on her knee high socks. He pulled those off gently and then caressed her smooth legs._

_Hermione stopped him though, by yanking his shirt over his head to reveal his brilliant torso. Her hands explored him so full of curiosity. Her stomach ached more and more, wanting him so badly. He took off his shoes and looked at Hermione. She smiled and watched him slip out of his trousers. _

"_Off with the shirt, Hermione." Cedric said playfully. But she did so anyway to reveal her navy blue bra. She hopped off the table and then got closer to him again. She kissed him as he started to take off her skirt. But slowly they moved toward a bed she hadn't quite seen when she got there. _

_Finally he set her on the bed and took a deep breath. He unhooked her bra while they got into deep kissing mode again. She took off the bra and Cedric pulled away to look at her body so far. He was taken away by her perfect curves in just the right spots. She kissed him again, feeling a tad bit shy. She suddenly felt his hand on her leg, stroking it up and down, and then crossing over to the inside of her leg. His hand grazed over her underwear, giving her the chills once again. He played with the hem a little, and then decided to take them off. Hermione did the same thing to him._

_He bowed in for one last kiss before entering her body. She moaned in ecstasy. And it continued for the rest of the night, because Hermione _did_ trust Cedric…_

"Why didn't he take _you_ to the ball?"

"We sat together at dinner once, which was after he found out that Krum liked me. He felt extremely hurt, like I was going to leave him. I promised him I wasn't going to. But he still didn't believe me. So I went with Krum. He took Cho, just because he could. He didn't know Harry liked her." Hermione tried to swallow her sorrowful voice but it didn't work. She had touched Draco because he was better then a sculpture, because he was the same as Cedric.

"You didn't have a single tear in your eye when you discovered he was dead. You didn't feel depressed? He was the one, Hermione. You did it with him."

"Oh shut up, Parkinson! No one could know…" she said. "You kept it a secret didn't you? What else do you know?"

"You're quite a screamer. He had to put his hand over your mouth to keep you quite. His body was magnificent."

"I loved him, Pansy. I wanted him so bad, I still do."

"I know. You told him, actually you screamed it." Hermione looked at her strangely.

"You watched the whole thing, did you?"

"Not like I could see all of it, Hermione. Too many damn plants."

"Can we not talk about this, Pansy?" Hermione asked, looking at her hopefully. Pansy then saw the true brokenness in Hermione's eyes. She saw her dying and it almost made her want to cry. She nodded.

Hermione lay back down and stared the ceiling until she fell asleep. She fell into a deep stir of dreams, first about Ron, then about her and Cedric's night in green house. It hurt to relive it, even in her dreams. Then about Draco. Then about Harry and Ron trying to save Pansy in the darkest hall of Hogwarts. She woke up in a deep sweat, sitting bolt up right. Pansy was staring at her laughing.

"You _do_ get hot when you dream. Do you dream about Draco often?"

"Wha'?" Hermione asked, swallowing over and over again.

"You screamed his name out, like you did Cedric's." Hermione looked around, ignoring her and saw that it was morning. "Then you screamed my name. I had no clue you liked girls, Granger." She smiled at Hermione and then tapped her cheek.

"I wasn't doing it with you, Parkinson. You were dying." Hermione said quietly. Pansy's smile vanished and she sat down.

"Quite a coincidence that you and Potter have the same dreams. I heard him screaming too, he said the same thing." Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"It's just…it's nothing, Pansy."

"Yeah it is, Hermione. I know that Potter has these dreams and that they can predict the future. Weasley told me yesterday, when I talked to him. I asked him if he had a crush on you. He said he did and then we got into the whole conversation about dreams. He said it hurts for Harry."

"It does…Harry's mind is far different from any of ours."

"I noticed."

"Cedric's was different too. He was unlike any man I've ever met. But he was darker then anybody knew. He had these thoughts of-" Hermione was interrupted when Harry burst in with Ron by his side. Ron didn't look at Hermione though; he looked at Pansy, with a passion.

"We need you." Harry said.

"Put some clothes on though. No one wants to see that in the morning." Ron said jokingly. Hermione picked up her pillow and threw it at him. She nodded and then they waited outside.

"Sorry, Pansy. But we're onto something and we can stop that dream from happening if you let us go."

"You can't stop what you see in the future. Because every turn you take leads you to what you saw." Pansy said. Hermione knew what she was saying. Even if you tried your hardest or didn't try at all, somehow the future would find its way. But Hermione shook off the feeling. The dream was just a dream.

Hermione pulled on her uniform real quick and then her robes. She went out to the common room and they were talking to each other about girls of course. "That would be weird, we'd be like brothers." Harry said. Harry had been caught many times looking at Ginny, but hadn't touched her in forever. Hermione could tell he really wanted to be with her again.

She stood in front of them, as Pansy walked to her room. Ron watched her like a hawk. Cedric did that to Hermione a lot. But he got caught by Malfoy who had come out of his room with a book. He threw it at Ron, and it just missed his head. Hermione gasped a little.

Harry looked at him like he was crazy. He was a tad bit confused on why he had thrown the book in the first place. "Keep your eyes off of her, Weasley." Draco warned. Suddenly Harry knew; he looked at Ron and his jaw dropped.

The three of them walked down to breakfast, because the boys only really needed her for that reason. Harry couldn't get off the fact that Ron had a thing for Pansy though. It was somewhat odd to Hermione as well. "I can't believe it, Ron. First you go from Fleur, to Hermione-" Ron elbowed Harry in the ribs as hard as he could. Hermione smirked as Harry coughed. "To Parkinson?" he said, still coughing. "That's just…gross." He then remembered Pansy in Hermione's room this morning. "Wait, are you two friends now?"

"Harry…she's nice. I can talk to her about stuff."

"_Stuff?"_ Harry and Ron both asked in unison.

"Yes, stuff."

"Like what?"

"Cedric," Hermione blurted. Her eyes widened in disbelief that she had actually just said that. They continued walking though, Harry and Ron looking at each other with questioning eyes. They then looked at Hermione.

"Cedric?" Harry asked. "Cedric _Diggory_? Why would you need to talk about him?" Hermione swallowed and walked a little faster.

"She…uh…used to like Cedric."

"Yeah right, she and Malfoy have been together forever. Did _you_ used to like Cedric?" Ron asked.

"No," she said quickly, walking even faster.

"Hermione, you're not telling us something." Harry said, speeding up beside her.

"Just…leave it alone, Harry." Hermione snapped.

"Tell us," Harry insisted, getting angry.

"Harry, I told you to _let it go_!" Hermione said.

"Hermione…tell us!" Harry said, grabbing her wrist. She stopped and glared at him. "_Tell us_."

"Fine, you wanna know so badly? Cedric and I dated secretly…" Hermione said.

"That's not all, Hermione." Ron said. "I can tell when you're lying." She bit her lower lip to stop its trembling. Tears filled her eyes for the umpteenth time in the past two days.

"Cedric and I…" she swallowed and looked around. "Cedric and I, we, uh-"

"Oh just say it already!" Ron said.

"We lost our virginity together!" Hermione said in a loud whisper. Harry let go, and both of their jaws dropped.

"Why didn't you tell us, after all this time?" Harry asked, his voice getting even angrier.

"I _couldn't_, Harry. Ron and you were already angry with each other, I couldn't have both of you be mad at each other and then be mad at me, just because I loved Cedric. You would think I had traded sides."

"You did though, he was Harry's competition and you just…you gave him your body to make him feel all confident and when he was done, he could come back to you and make even more love to you."

"That's not what it was like, Ronald! It only happened once. Krum started liking me, he thought I liked Krum. Then the Yule Ball came and he and Cho were considered a couple."

"No, Hermione, he just wanted to get in your knickers and then go off to do Cho." Harry said coldly.

"You guys weren't there. You don't know how it happened." Hermione said becoming very hurt.

"It's too late to hold a grudge anyway, he's dead." Harry said dryly.

"How can you say that? He told me he loved me, Harry."

"It's just words, Hermione! He didn't mean it. He was 17 and you were only 14. You were naïve."

"I was _not_!"

"Yes you were, Hermione. You didn't know the difference between love and lies, you still don't."

"Oh shut up, Weasley. You're pretty naïve too; to believe you have a chance with Pansy." Draco said coming up behind them. "Go get some breakfast or something." Harry and Ron scoffed and then went off. Hermione was shaking and staring at Draco.

"You heard everything?" Hermione asked. He nodded.

"I heard you screaming his name in your sleep, Granger. Come on," They walked back to the dorms, where Pansy sat, drinking hot cocoa, even though it was perfectly warm in and outside. She sat down and wiped her wet face. Pansy summoned a platter of eggs and bacon on the coffee table with three cups of pumpkin juice. Draco sat next to Pansy.

"I knew that was gonna happen," Pansy said. "Them finding out about Cedric and going totally crazy. It's not that big of a deal, really."

"Well if they could have been there the last time we talked, before he died or even when we broke up, they would have known." Hermione said grabbing some juice off the table. Draco started on the eggs. "I never thought that I'd have you coming to my rescue."

"Oh, but under Pansy's order of course." Draco said, teasing her. Pansy slapped Draco on the shoulder.

"You talked to Cedric before he died, did you say?" Pansy asked. Hermione nodded. "What was it about?" Hermione tried even harder to get rid of this memory.

_Hermione was the last one in the Great Hall as usual. It was even quieter than the library at times. And at other times, some meaningless and/or rude 17 year olds could come in and ruin it. She tried to ignore him and continue doing her homework._

"_How's Krum?" he asked._

"_I don't know, Cedric, why don't you go ask him." She said cruelly, reminiscing on their bad break up over the Quidditch star._

"_Hermione, this isn't fair."_

"_What's not fair is how you broke up with me because you thought I had done stuff with Krum, because of Rita Skeeter's interviews. _Rita Skeeter_?" she smirked. "Cedric, I am not the type of girl who just gives up her body and forgets about somebody who told her that he loved her and truly meant it. I was hoping you were the same. Apparently you just wanted me for the sex." She started packing up and stood up to leave him there, but he grabbed her and looked at her._

"_I am, Hermione. I did love you that night and you know I still do. I am _nothing_ without you. I would die for you, Hermione."_

"_Prove it, Cedric." Hermione said, feeling her eyes becoming glazed over with warmth. "Die for me, Cedric." She laughed. "Yeah right, no one would actually die for someone they loved."_

"_I would, though, Hermione." His eyes were becoming watery as well. "I really would."_

"_Then do it, Cedric! Stop talking and do it!"_

Hermione swallowed. "And then he did. Sometimes, I wonder if it's really my fault that he stayed behind, just so he could die, or if he really had a heart of gold and wanted to stay with Harry to help him. I wish I could bring him back, every night, I pray that he would come back, so I could tell him I was sorry. I know this can't happen though." Draco looked at Pansy, questioning his thoughts.

"Voldemort could bring him back if he really wanted to. If someone convinced him enough." Draco finally said. Hermione almost didn't want to believe this. Cedric wouldn't be the same; it wouldn't be the same at all. She would have a guilty conscience knowing that he died and it was possibly even her fault.

"I could probably get my father to do it." Pansy said. "If you really wanted it."

"I don't know. It wouldn't be the same." Hermione said softly.

"He would be though. He would know that he died. Voldemort's like God in a way, Hermione. He can make anything happen." Pansy told her. "Cedric would come back in a daze and then slowly remember who he is and what happened in his life. He might be a little bit…well darker in the mind, but he'd be back."

Weeks had passed as Hermione thought about this and they still hadn't given Slughorn his watch back. Finally, her needs overcame what was right and what was wrong. Hermione needed Cedric and didn't care if it was wrong.


	8. The Halloween Ball

**Author's Note:** Chapter Eight…YAY! I just can't get over the end of this chapter. This is when things really start getting good, when the road really starts to get rocky. Oh joy, I love this. But an update on the story; Soon after I posted chapter seven, I really finished this story and then started writing the next installment of this. I'd say its going pretty good and it's sticking to this story so keep reading and reviewing if you ever want to get to that part.

P.S. If I'm feeling up to it, I might post a few more chapters today just to get it over with.

**Chapter Eight**

"Are you sure it will work?" Hermione asked, as Pansy licked the letter's seal. She nodded.

"Hate to brag, but Daddums gives me everything and anything I want." Pansy said, with Draco sitting next to her. Harry and Ron still weren't exactly talking to her, but she didn't really mind. Hermione smirked.

"How long will it take? For him to, well, get back to his regular self of course." Hermione asked.

"Maybe a few weeks. Close to a month, even." Draco told her. "It should be worth the wait, though, right?"

"Of course, of course." Pansy said, getting up with a smile. The three of them walked towards the Owl post. Draco walked on Hermione's left side and Pansy on her right side. It was odd, being in the middle of them. It was even odder knowing that they were making her problem theirs.

The end of October air was colder than she had remembered. She hugged herself and rubbed her arms, the way Cedric would when she got cold. She looked at Draco as he placed his robes over her shoulders. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Hermione hated it how guys never got as cold as girls. She looked at Pansy who was also wearing robes, but they were her own.

As soon as they got to owlpost, a black owl flew towards Pansy. It landed on her arm, looking for a treat. Draco dug around in his pockets and finally found a cracker, tossing it to the owl. Pansy gave the letter to the owl as soon as it was finished devouring the cracker. It flew off of her arm and soared into the sky.

"Do you think Voldemort will actually do it?" Hermione asked.

"Of course he will, Hermione. My father has been at his side ever since Draco's got put away." This thought scared Hermione a little.

"He won't…you know…try to use Cedric against us will he?"

"No…Cedric will know his history." Draco reminded her. Hermione nodded, remembering and hoping that Pansy's dad could get Voldemort to do it, without him knowing that it was because of her.

* * *

Hermione sat in Jane's class, Defense Against the Dark Arts. They were going over repelling jinxes and what not. Hermione wasn't too interested so she flipped through her book, to the back and then to the front. The front was a list of names that had the book. It dated back for about two decades. She wrote her name at the bottom and then skimmed through. She stopped at Cedric's name, wondering if any of the doodles in the back had been made by him. She flipped to the back once again and looked at them all. There in the corner, barely noticeable, was CD+HG with a heart around it.

"Ms. Granger, are you paying attention?" Jane asked. Hermione looked up and everyone but Harry and Ron looked back.

"No," she said. Finally Harry and Ron did look back.

People seemed to be surprised that Hermione Granger hadn't been paying attention and had actually admitted to not been paying attention. "What exactly were you looking at, then?" Hermione swallowed. "Five points if you're honest."

"Something Cedric Diggory wrote." Hermione said. Ron scoffed and turned around.

"What did he write?"

"His initials and mine in a heart." Her classmates started laughing and turned back to their own books, but Harry continued to look at her. Jane seemed slightly confused.

"Wasn't he a little bit older than you?" Jane said. "We would have been the same age if he hadn't died." Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, wanting a hand to squeeze. She looked at Harry. "Nonetheless, you get five points for being honest and for having the whole class laugh at you because they didn't believe you."

"They don't have to. They haven't heard the story." Hermione continued looking at Harry.

"What was the story?" Jane asked out of curiosity.

"He told me he loved me, we got in a fight and then a few weeks before he died…he asked for my forgiveness and told me he would die for me. I told him to stop talking and show me. Then he did." The class went silent and slowly turned to look at her again. Hermione looked at her lap, avoiding the stares.

"Class dismissed." Jane said. Everyone got up, except for her, and left. Jane crouched down next to her seat. "Cedric was my cousin. He wrote to Annie and me many times about you. He said that you were wonderful. We were the only one's he could trust to keep a secret, considering we had no social life. He really did love you, Hermione. You don't have to ask yourself about it, because he really did. And it wasn't your fault he died, he was helping Harry, your best friend let me remind you."

Hermione was silent and Jane took her book. "You don't have to be reminded of such a horrible past." She put it back on the shelf of books and then pulled out one of her newest ones. "Keep this one. It was mine. It's got a few tricks as well. It'll keep you more interested, or at least make you look like you are." Jane handed her the book smiling. Hermione flipped through its pages and saw notes everywhere.

"I know it's hard, Hermione, for you to start remembering this again. But someday, you will find someone who is better than Cedric." Hermione stood up angrily, grabbing her stuff.

"There's no one better then Cedric, Jane, you should know that." Hermione said very heated and walked out.

Lunch was just getting started when she walked in. She sat down on the very end of the table and started eating so she could leave quickly. She didn't have the strength to put up with Ron's nonsense that day.

It had been a few days since they had sent the letter. Pansy had put in some good details and reasons to make her father convince Voldemort to bring Cedric back, leaving out Hermione of course.

The doors opened and in came the girls from Slytherin. Pansy glanced at Hermione and then chucked a piece of parchment at her. Hermione caught it and opened it. It was a letter from Pansy's father.

_Darling,_

_I have received your letter about this Diggory boy. I talked to Voldemort about it and convinced him to do it. It wasn't easy, but I am getting him to do it. Of course the process will take a while, so be patient._

_Love,_

_Your father._

Hermione smiled and then shoved the paper into her bag. She couldn't believe it was happening. Cedric was going to come back and they could be together again. For everyone to see this time around though and they would all wonder how he came back to life. When they asked, she would just simply smile and say "It was a miracle." Amos would be very happy she expected.

Harry took the seat across from her and looked at her as she ate. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't know…I was angry that you had kept a secret from me."

"Its fine, Harry. It's just that Cedric and I were something special. I didn't want to betray you by being with him, and it was just so hard to tell you after he had died. You already had so much on your mind." She told him, her mouth full of food.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she said, looking up and nodding. "Say, are you going to the Halloween ball tonight?"

"Of course, we have to remember? We're head boy and girl."

"Oh yeah. Who are you taking?"

"Ginny," She nodded in approval. "What about you?"

"No one. Has Ron got a date?"

"He asked Pansy. She said yes, only to piss Malfoy off." Hermione was amazed. "You should go with him, 'Mione. He's nice to you."

"Malfoy and me? No way, that will never happen."

"Why not?" Someone said from back of her. Hermione turned around and saw him standing behind her. Hermione felt like she had just choked, but hadn't really felt the pain.

"Because," she turned back around, her cheeks burning. He sat down next to her, each leg on a side of the bench.

"It's kind of a crazy thought I suppose. But we are supposed to bring the school closer together. It's kind of odd how Pansy and I are trying harder then you two. Give up your pride, Granger. Go to the ball with me." Hermione looked at him, but she only saw Cedric.

"I, uh…" She wanted to say no, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "Uh…sure."

* * *

Hermione sighed looking through the dresses that her mom had sent her. She didn't feel like getting all dressed up to go to a fancy ball. Every year was allowed to go, to bring the school even closer which meant she had to watch over the mischievous kids. She was just too exhausted.

But she continued looking and finally found a black halter dress that had ruffles at the end. It was quite slinky, making it form fitting. It was simple and she could dress it up with some of her heirlooms.

She quickly pulled it over her head and grabbed her wand. She flicked her wand at her hair and quickly it was put in an up do of curls. She tapped her face once and white eye shadow lined the outside of her eyes. She had dramatic red lipstick and blush on. Finally, she put some pearl earrings and a pearl necklace on. "That was quick enough." Hermione said, but she still felt very tired.

She walked out and found Pansy and Ginny talking casually. It seemed that Pansy and Draco _were_ trying harder to pull the school together. Pansy was dressed in a purple strapless to the floor gown and Ginny in a satin red spaghetti strapped dress that went to the floor as well. "You two look wonderful." Hermione complimented them, sitting down on the edge of one of the leather chairs.

"Thanks," they said in unison.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"He's in Harry's room helping him get ready." Pansy answered for her. Hermione nodded making an 'o' with her lips. Finally Draco came out, dressed in a black button up shirt, with black pants and black shoes. There wasn't anything that really stood out except for his loose white tie and the two buttons that were undone. He smiled at Pansy and Ginny and then walked over to Hermione. He held out his hand smiling. Hermione placed her small hand in his and then stood up, just as Harry and Ron came out. Harry was wearing a nice suit with a red tie. Ron was wearing a purple suit with a white tie. They all matched; it was somewhat funny to Hermione.

Draco and Hermione walked down to the ball together with many of their classmates looking at them like they were crazy. They couldn't believe that they were seeing Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, sworn enemies, walking down the hall together as dates. It made them whisper and giggle.

They walked into the barely illuminated Great Hall with the music already echoing quite loudly. Hermione stood in the entrance looking at the crowds and the cliques. Hermione then remembered the fact that they head boys and girls had to dance with their dates in front of everyone. She had wondered why they were learning a ball room dance all over again. Jane and Annie approached them, Jane wearing black and Annie wearing white. "I'm glad to see you two together." Annie told Draco and Hermione. "You make an attractive couple." Hermione's eyes widened. Draco just smirked though.

Hermione sighed as they got onto the dance floor and the ballroom music started. Hermione looked away because she couldn't bare look at him. It was too weird. He lifted her high up into the air, so high that Hermione got a little scared and looked down at him. He put her down again and they continued dancing. "How exciting, eh? Sometimes I wish I was the girl, it seems more fun. The guys have to do all the work."

"It's scary, Malfoy."

"Hermione, call me Draco. I believe you call Pansy by her first name, don't you?"

"Well yes, but it's just different."

"Of course it is." They twirled around, and Hermione kept her eyes on his as he kept his smirking face on.

"Do you like the sound of that piano up there? He plays quite fast, doesn't he?" He asked her. Hermione looked over and saw the man playing the piano. She remembered that Cedric could play and had even tried to teach her once, but she just couldn't get it.

"Quite fast indeed, Draco." Up again, Hermione went. "Do you have to go so high?"

"It's not my fault, Hermione. I have long arms and I'm taller then your practice partner, Longbottom is quite short."

"He's the same height as me." Hermione stated.

"Well you should have gotten to Weasley faster then. You two are both equally tall I think. Well in heels you are anyway. You look magnificent tonight, might I add." Hermione remembered that word from her and Pansy's conversation a few weeks ago. She had said that Cedric's body was magnificent.

"Thank you," she answered. She concentrated on the last part of the dancing but still acknowledged the fact that he was talking to her. Finally it was done and Hermione was almost out of breath. She bowed, holding Draco's hand as the crowd around them clapped and whistled. Rose petals were tossed out and Hermione felt her stomach turn. She hadn't seen a rose in forever, not since that night when she and Cedric had made love.

She stood up straight as real music started to play and the kids jumped up and down in pure excitement. Hermione, Ginny and Pansy sat down while the guys went to get drinks. "That was kind of fun," Pansy said smiling. "Ron's not that bad of a dancer."

The guys sat down with the drinks and Hermione gulped hers down faster then everybody else. "Did it occur to you, that you had been humming that whole song?" Draco asked. Hermione looked up, taking the cup away and burping. She covered her mouth in embarrassment and shook her head. "It was interesting to hear it. You are one fast hummer." The rest of them laughed.

Perhaps it was only because Cedric played it once and she remembered the whole thing. She had just realized that too. Hermione stood up as they all chattered on and more people sat down at their table. "Where are you going?" Draco asked kind of concerned.

"To get a breath of air." Draco stood up.

"I'll come with." They walked outside and Hermione shivered as she looked around.

"Not the kind of weather I should be wearing a dress in." She said with her teeth chattering.

"I would give you my robes, but I'm not wearing any." Draco told her looking up at the sky. Hermione looked at him and then reached out, looping her arm with his. He looked down and beamed. "You're quite a tool, Hermione."

"I've seen far too many deaths to not be one." She told him as he put his arms around her body to warm her. "Do you think Cedric will be the same when he gets back?"

"He had a heart of gold; he might have a heart of silver this time." Hermione smirked at his dumb joke. "Let's go back in, even I'm getting cold." They walked back into the school and then into the Great Hall to see that everyone was dancing and not even their friends were sitting down anymore. They watched everyone dancing and trying to talk over the music but it was no good unless they yelled.

"You know this song as well?" Draco asked, looking at her. She looked up and saw his eyes, only his eyes. This time she didn't see Cedric, she saw Draco. She nodded keeping her gaze on him. He did the same. Draco took his hands out of his pockets, setting them gently on her cold cheeks, however when he did this, they erupted with heat. Hermione swallowed, fearing what was to come. His eyes sparkled from the candlelight as well as Hermione's.

CRASH! Draco turned to witness the screaming and the smoke. Everybody ran for the doors and some wands were pulled out and already throwing spells. Draco was pushed so hard, that he and Hermione were both rammed into the wall. Hermione's hands were found at Draco's waste and Draco's were on her arms as if he were protecting her.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked. Draco looked around for signs.

"I don't know…" he said still searching. Finally he caught a glimpse of a snow white head. "Oh, _fuck_." He grabbed her by the arm and tried pushing through the crowd, but it was too hard. "Go!" He told Hermione pushing her through. "Just go back to the common room and I'll meet you there." Hermione looked at him and then he disappeared in the crowd. She ran up to the common room so confused. Ginny and Harry were already up there, completely occupied by kissing.

"Where's Ron and Pansy?" Hermione asked. The quickly tore away from each other and sat up straight.

"Still down there, why? You look a mess." Harry said.

"There's been an attack." Hermione said.

"Well where's Malfoy?"

"I lost him," Hermione said quickly. "He was scared and angry…nervous. He tried to kiss me." Hermione said. Harry was surprised and confused. He stood up getting out his wand.

"Ginny stay here, Hermione you need to come with me." Harry said. They left Ginny in a perplexed state and ran down to the Great Hall.

"Malfoy tried to kiss you?" Harry asked.

"Yeah…and then there was screams and someone pushed us into the wall and then I got caught in the crowd and he told me to go up to the common. I suspect that McGonagall will want us down there to fight off the people. I'm guessing they were Death Eaters. I saw hoods." They got in and the Great Hall was empty with a few dead bodies on the ground. She exhaled greatly at the sight. Draco's dad was slurred across the floor and not breathing.

Hermione looked for Draco. He was sitting in pain and Madame Pomfrey along with Ron and Pansy were at his side. Hermione ran over to him. "What happened?" Hermione asked.

"His father tried to kill him, but someone else…they got to Lucius first." Pansy said slowly and sounding quite exhausted. She cleared her throat and Hermione found Draco's wound in the side of his stomach.

"Well who did it?" Hermione asked. "Killed his father?" Ron and Pansy looked at her, wondering if they should tell her or not.

"Jane did. She didn't cast the kind of spell we would have though." Pansy finally said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"She spoke in some kind of language. I know that all spells are a different language, but this was different." Pansy sounded scared. "And then she ran, out of the Great Hall and Annie ran after her." Hermione knew this couldn't be good.

Hermione turned to Harry. "I need the map." He dug in his pockets and then pulled it out. He handed it to her and then she was off to find the twins. She opened it up, her eyes darting towards the two last names that were near each other. It was the Transfiguration room. Hermione sprinted towards it and found Annie trying so desperately to control Jane and make her drink a golden potion. Slughorn was there also. Annie looked up noticing desperate Hermione.

"Close the door, Hermione. And lock it." Annie demanded. Jane struggled to get out of the chair she was sitting in.

"What…what happened?" Hermione asked walked towards them.

"Most twins tend to come looking the same, we did. But one of them is bound to have a disorder. Jane _does_." Annie spoke through clenched teeth, trying to open Jane's mouth. "Being twin witches of course, this disorder involves magic. Jane was the princess of Death Eaters. Just like Harry's prophecy, Jane had one too. My parents tried to run away from the Death Eaters before we were born. But they found them and- oh Slughorn, can you finish the story!" Annie asked very annoyed.

"The Death Eaters found Annie's parents and gave Jane all the powers in the world. Except Jane was barely born and growing up, she didn't know how to control her powers. Even with the finest tutors, she couldn't seem to get anything right. Jane was raised to know that becoming the princess of all this was not the right choice. But she can't seem to control her urges to destroy everything sometimes, especially doing a darker spell."

"She's the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor though. It doesn't seem right." Hermione said outraged.

"Jane loves children, so Annie with my help made an antidote to cure her urges for a while. Sometimes it will wear off fast and other times it will last for days. We're never quite sure."

"The language though, Pansy told me that she had something different from the language we say our spells in." Hermione said, still baffled.

"Another power they gave her, or tried to at least, was Parseltongue. The spell didn't work too well though, considering she wasn't even born yet. She can speak to snakes, but it comes out in a different tone. This tone is the second pair of vocal chords she has. The antidote, which is Sphinx blood by the way, can control this, but as I said before, it differs time to time." Slughorn explained. "And when the antidote starts to wear off, it becomes hard for her to control her speaking, her spells and killing Death Eaters. She killed Lucius just as it started to wear off and she was smart enough to run to Annie's class room to find the antidote. She would have killed everyone if she hadn't come here. She has a lust for death when she's off the potion." Slughorn finished explaining and looked at Jane as she screamed, begging for Annie to let her go.

"Scortor!" Jane screamed. Hermione stepped back a few feet, scared of what Jane was becoming. She looked at her wand and then back at Jane and how much Annie was struggling.

"Petrificus totalus!" Hermione yelled pointing the wand at Jane. Jane froze in place and Annie let out a sigh of relief and poured the potion into Jane's mouth. Jane suddenly woke up from the charm, coughing but swallowing the potion. She screamed in her second tone voice getting up and running to a table. She flipped it over in rage. Her voice could crack a window and surely had as she ran towards Hermione, her arms out as if she were going to choke Hermione. Hermione backed away and then Jane stopped. She coughed grabbing her neck and then blinked. The potion had worked.

She looked at Annie and then ran to her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Did I kill someone?" Annie nodded. Jane glared at Annie as her breathing got heavier, as tears started to roll down her cheeks. Annie didn't seem to show any sympathy for her sister, she did however look at Slughorn.

Hermione slowly backed away, exiting the room. She had seen too much. She turned around and came face to face with Draco. She gasped.

"So you've finally heard the story about Jane Cavanaugh?" he asked. She nodded. "Come on," He said taking her hand and leading her to the Great Hall. It was empty.

"Jane is the princess of the Death Eaters, she's related to Cedric who you were involved with, and soon after he was killed by Voldemort."

"Peter Pettigrew." Hermione corrected him. "He killed Cedric."

"Of course he did." Draco led them towards the stage and crouched down, picking something up, but still hanging onto Hermione's hand. He stood up straight and held out a pearl earring. "I believe this is yours though." Hermione took it looking at him. Hermione got closer to him, her stomach touching his. He winced in pain.

"I think I owe you something though." Hermione whispered, putting her free hand on his neck and standing on her tip toes. She looked at his lips and then him. Finally she kissed him. Draco embraced this, making it more passionate by running his tongue over her lips. She felt beautiful for the first time in a while, she felt wanted.


	9. Doors

**Author's Note:** This is somewhat of a slow chapter, like a lot of them before, but it gets a hell of a lot better after this one. As for the next installment of this: It's getting better and better by the day. I love it. The main character of that story will be in this one but not till later chapters. I think you will find something in that character that you like and something about them that annoys you, but enough about that person. Let's get to chapter nine!

**Chapter Nine**

Harry laid awake, the pain of his scar increasing every now and then and then lowering. He wondered where Hermione had been all this time. He wondered what was wrong with Jane and why she sounded so different. He wondered why Lucius Malfoy had tried to kill his own son. He wondered where Slughorn had been the whole time…

Harry sat up hearing the familiar giggle of Hermione and Draco's whisper. He got out of bed and peered out the door which hadn't been shut all the way.

"I can't wait to get out of these clothes. It's so annoying getting dressed up." Hermione said. Harry looked down and noticed they were holding hands. She reached up and kissed him, draping her arms around his neck and then nuzzling her face into his shoulder. He placed his hands on her lower back. Harry couldn't believe what he was seeing. If this didn't bring the school together, nothing else would.

"Harry," Ginny whispered in the background. Harry kept gazing though. He had never seen Hermione's eyes so sparkly and what not. Harry felt a sharp stinging in his stomach. He had never felt this kind of angry bubbling feeling. And if he had, then it hadn't been for a long time. Finally he watched them go into Hermione's room and shut the door. Harry turned, leaning on the door and making it shut all the way.

Ginny turned on the lamp and looked at him. "Harry, who was that?"

"Hermione and Malfoy." Harry said their names as if they were pieces of scum.

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Draco watched as Hermione took off her dress and chattered on. Her body was perfect, not too extravagant, not too plain, but perfect. She seemed so comfortable around him and it took Pansy so much longer to be like that. She then slipped into pajamas and crawled on the bed next to him. She exhaled greatly and looked at him.

"Why was there an attack tonight?"

"Because Jane is here, possibly and I didn't tell anyone. They want the horcruxe that Slughorn has. If they can get Jane off that potion, she'll find it somehow." Hermione sighed. "Ever since I chickened out, killing off Dumbledore and everything, they Death Eaters have held a grudge against me, my father especially."

"Oh," she said, not really paying attention anymore but watching the ceiling swirl, around and around, thinking of Cedric. Cedric would be back soon and none of this would matter anymore. None of it.

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Hermione, Harry, Pansy and Draco had been called to the Great Hall early that morning. Harry didn't say a word to Hermione and she couldn't understand why.

"Why can't you just tell me what's wrong?" Hermione whispered.

"If Cedric was still here, you wouldn't have done it."

"Done what?" she asked Harry.

"Kiss Malfoy. You look like you meant it and wanted it."

"Harry…" she said quietly.

"There's really no excuse for this one Hermione. You haven't had the time to think of one, have you?" Harry said, reminding her that it had been a few years since Cedric had died and she hadn't told them until now.

"Harry, what about Ron and Pansy, huh?"

"Don't try to change the subject, Hermione. And promise me you didn't do it with him."

"I didn't!" Hermione said loudly. "God Harry, I'm not a slut."

"What would Cedric think of this?"

"I wouldn't have done it if Cedric was alive, Harry. Don't you think it's time to move on?" _No_, she thought. Cedric was going to come back and she had kissed someone.

"Well…to Malfoy?" he asked. "No…maybe to Ron, but to Malfoy? It was so sudden, Hermione. Were you planning on telling me or just keeping it a secret?" Harry asked.

"Of course I was planning on telling you. It's just that-" Hermione stopped talking and looked up at the Great Hall. She stuck her arm out in front of Harry and stopped him as well. She couldn't believe it, that one of the doors to the Great Hall was actually falling off, or actually, not falling off, but being taken off. Harry's jaw dropped. Hermione backed away even more as it crashed to the floor, creating a very loud noise and shaking the whole school. Dust flew up into the air, making some students who had been watching start to cough.

Hermione started to walk down the stairs and found McGonagall waiting for them with Pansy and Draco already there. "We have a lot to discuss…" she said strictly turning to the doors. They followed her into the Great Hall and then through a corridor which Harry recognized right away. They came into the antechamber.

"Sit down," McGonagall told them. Hermione sat on the end, next to Harry, in a big leather chair. Draco sat on the other end.

"As you know…the school was attacked last night. By about five Death Eaters. We have decided to tighten security even more around here, to make the school-"

"Even closer." Pansy piped up. They had heard that only about a hundred times so far that year.

"Yes. Your duties will become more hectic. Hufflepuff will share a tower with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw with Slytherin." Draco swallowed angrily, trying to get a grip over himself, but it didn't seem to be working. "We have decided however to put Quidditch back to the old way, seeing as you all have been controlling yourself very well. Hermione and Draco made a perfect example of bonding last night, however it was ruined." McGonagall kept a close eye on Draco.

"Oh, just ask it, McGonagall. You're _dying _to know." Pansy started angrily "Did Draco know that this was going to happen? Why would Draco's father try to kill his own son?" Everyone looked at Pansy and then Draco.

"I didn't know it was going to happen!" Draco said outraged. "Nothing private can happen when you share a dorm with Potter and Granger. And I don't know why he tried to kill me!"

"Calm down, Malfoy. We will have everything worked out soon. Jane is coming to a conclusion."

"About what? How she's so freaky?" Hermione spat. "I know that she's the 'Death Eater' princess of the world. She can change her voice, with her second pair of vocal chords. She has all the powers in the world. Annie has to take care of her every second of her life. She's like a bloody seeing eye dog!"

"Miss Granger…I'd appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself. Like you said, everything magical comes naturally to Jane and with her on our side, Voldemort will go down and Hogwarts will be back to how it was. Before all of you showed up…" McGonagall said coldly. Draco bit his lower lip glaring at her.

"What about the Great Hall doors? What's the point of taking them down?" Harry asked.

"The Death Eaters could have easily gotten in that way, although we don't know exactly how they got in. Your duties will be posted in your rooms, please do not question them. If there are no more questions, you may be on your way."

They got up and left her, feeling somewhat depressed that everyone except Harry had had an outrage. And to think that Harry Potter could be calm about it, when he had the most problems…


	10. A Pianist's Hands

**Author's Note:** So I had some trouble uploading and uploaded the wrong chapter and then I had to upload chapter nine. So I thought to myself why not just post chapter ten now if you already have it up? So thats what I'm doing. This chapter is kind of corny. I didn't realize that till now because I wrote it back in December I believe. But once again, I do not own Harry Potter or the song in this chapter. Jk Rowling owns Harry Potter and U2 owns the song. Dig in, folks!

**Chapter Ten**

It was the third week of November and it was a Quidditch day. Hermione had never seen Harry so excited before. Pacing back and forth, making sure every lace on his body was double knotted, and pulling his gloves on even further than they would go. Finally he grabbed his broom and smiled at her. "Ready to go?" he asked. It was about an hour before the match even started.

"Harry, are you crazy? We still have a lot more time."

"But I feel really good today. I feel lucky. I can't wait to get out there. Come on, Hermione, please. Ron's probably already practicing." He grabbed Hermione by the hand and they hurried down to the Pitch. She checked her watch once again. The stands were already full.

"So much for being early." Hermione mumbled breaking away from Harry and going to find a seat near Neville perhaps. She sat next to him as he cheered loudly for the Gryffindor players who were flying so fast around the pitch that she could hardly make out who most of them were.

The match had started before she knew it and Harry was speeding around like a lunatic. Ginny was riding off fast against the wind with the quaffle and Ron was protectively swaying back and forth on his broom just in case the quaffle came back.

Hermione fell backwards as the Ravenclaw beater made the bludger go flying towards her. She quickly got up and turned around to apologize to the person she had fallen on. It was just Lavender Brown though who was all giggly and shaky.

Hermione stood up to rearrange her shirt so it wasn't so wrinkly and uncomfortable. Over the stands she saw a man walking over the hills. He seemed confused, but he didn't look bad. "Hermione watch out!" someone screamed from the Slytherin stands. She looked over and saw Pansy pointing. Hermione saw out of the corner of her eye, the quaffle coming straight towards her head.

She ducked and then hurried through the crowd, as the man looked up as if he had recognized the voice or the name. People groaned as she stepped all over them. She ran down the stairs and then behind the Hufflepuff stands to where the man had been standing. She looked around and saw no one. "Oh come on!" Hermione groaned in agony. She ran to the back of the Ravenclaw stands and saw him standing there, looking up and scratching his head. He turned and looked at her.

"Do you know the way up? I have no idea where I am." Hermione smiled.

"Cedric…" she cooed.

"Who in the name of God is Cedric?" he asked bewildered. She walked towards him and turned him to face her. He was the same, the exact same person she remembered.

"You are. You are Cedric Diggory and I am Hermione Granger." He was completely puzzled as she put her hands on his face and then he seemed to remember.

"By God…is it really you?" He put his hands on her cheeks almost violently and then thought. "Are you dead?"

"Of course not, Cedric. You're alive!"

"I am? I am…I can feel your hands again!" He said smiling. "How is this possible? How?" He was laughing and looking around. "I'm at Hogwarts aren't I? And there is _Quidditch_! Where is everyone? Where is Dumbledore, where is Harry, where is Cho?"

"Cho graduated, Cedric. Harry is playing Quidditch and…Dumbledore…Dumbledore died. Snape…he killed him." Hermione said slowly. Cedric looked at her as if she had just unexpectedly turned into a man.

"Who's the Headmaster?"

"McGonagall, would you like to go see her?" Hermione asked smiling.

"Well of course!" He said. Hermione grabbed his hand and ran towards the staff stands. They ran up the stairs but not before Hermione stopped him and looked into his hazel eyes, the eyes with the green specks. She smiled and kissed him hungrily. He hadn't aged a day it seemed.

"You don't know how much I have missed that Cedric." She told him smiling. He smiled back and then they continued running up the stairs. There were gasps as she ran through the parents and professors. Finally she stood in front of McGonagall who had he binoculars.

"Would you _move_!" McGonagall said nastily and then took her binoculars away. She nearly fainted at the sight of Cedric. "Cedric Diggory?" She looked at Hermione and then back at him. "Is that you?" Hermione turned and saw that Gryffindor was winning, but the rest of the students weren't paying attention to that. Everyone was practically falling out of the stands trying to make out who the figure Hermione Granger had gone off to find was. Hermione saw that Pansy and Draco were the only patient ones, Draco even looked kind of sad. Pansy was full of joy though.

"Who is _that_ with Hermione Granger in the staff seating?" Luna Lovegood said into her microphone. It blasted through out the stadium. Harry stopped his game for a second to look over and saw the back of a very handsome wizard. He scoffed and continued looking for the Snitch. Finally he spotted it, coming straight at him. He reached out his hand but the Snitch went down and into his shirt. Harry then felt a hard hit to his head and knew he was falling off his broom. He heard screams, especially Hermione's.

He groaned loudly taking out his wand and shot at his falling broom, feeling his back sliding down against one of the hoop bases, the nails and what not tearing his robes and his shirt, making sharp pains in his back. His broom flew towards him and he pushed off the base and hopped onto it; he was just a yard away from the ground and knew the Snitch was dying to get out of his shirt. He reached in and lifted it to the air. The crowd roared with shock.

But Harry got off his broom with tears in his eyes and ran to the locker room. He instantly took off his robes and his shirt, yelling in agony. Madame Pomfrey and Ginny were right behind him. His back was torn up and gushing blood.

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Pansy covered her mouth and looked at Draco. "Did you see his back? His robes practically ripped in half and you could see all his cuts." Draco nodded solemnly. "Oh Draco cheer up, she wasn't worth your time anyway. She's just Granger. You should go after another Gryffindor to piss her off."

"She won't _get_ pissed off, that's the problem. She's with the person she loves now."

"You don't know that, Draco."

"Yeah…I do." He watched her hanging onto his arm as they walked down to the locker room to see if Harry was alright. She glanced over at them; she saw Draco and then quickly looked away.

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"Harry! Are you okay?" Hermione's voice echoed in the locker room. Harry didn't look up though. She didn't want to know who was with her. He kept his face against the bench and sucked in air through his clenched teeth making a loud kind of scratchy noise as Pomfrey dabbed a warm cloth on his back.

"Just peachy!" Harry said trying to sound happy. He saw feet below his face and decided to look up. He practically fell off the bench when he laid eyes on Cedric Diggory again.

"Wha- where did you come from?" Pomfrey turned around and gasped. She stood up and pressed her hand to her heart.

"Cedric Diggory? Is that really you?" She asked touching his face.

Ron came in with the rest of the team smiling and laughing. "Harry, how bad is it?" He asked standing next to Cedric. "That's pretty-" Ron looked spooked to see Cedric.

"Are you a ghost?" Ron asked.

"No…are you?" Cedric asked.

"I'm not so sure anymore…I thought you were…dead."

"Me too, apparently not though."

"Cedric Diggory, well…" Ron smiled and shook Cedric's hand and then brought him into a violent hug. Cedric smirked. Harry gave Hermione a questioning eye and then Pansy and Draco walked in, not surprised at all. There wasn't a bit of shock in their expressions. Harry thought they would be excited for Hermione considering they had become extremely close over the past few months. But they seemed perfectly calm.

"Have you contacted your dad yet?" Ron asked pulling away. Harry watched them talk and everything seemed to blur in slow motion. Harry looked at Hermione and she looked as if she were about to cry. He thought about how her father hit her and if he would approve of Cedric. If she would even tell Cedric about her father. If Cedric would go crazy and hurt him. He then remembered seeing Cedric die; just like that he was gone. And now, just like that…he was back.

He wondered if it was a miracle, or had somebody brought him back. It was awfully odd that Hermione had been just mentioned him a few weeks ago and now he was back.

Hermione held onto Cedric tightly and he turned to look at her. He looked at her differently though. His eyes used to be hungry for her, but now they had more of a passion for her. It made her break out in chills. "Cedric…do you remember how to play the piano?"

"Of course I do." He said nodding.

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The sight of seeing Cedric's hands move so quickly along the keys and hearing the noise of them made Hermione's body burst with chills. They were in Annie's classroom because she just happened to have enough room for a grand piano. Annie and Jane watched along with the 7th years. Hermione sat with him though.

He had played this for her once and there were even words to go with it, so she memorized them of course.

_I want to run,_

_I want hide,_

_I want to tear down the walls_

_That hold me inside._

_I want to reach out and_

_Touch the flame_

_Where the streets have no name._

She sang the words in a whisper for only Cedric to hear. He smiled and kept playing as more of the professors stepped in. Hermione got a little louder.

_I want to feel sunlight on my face_

_I see that dust cloud disappear without a trace_

_I want to take shelter from the poison rain_

_Where the streets have no name_

Hermione caught a glance of Draco sitting on a table staring at her and only her. She thought it slightly weird but kept singing, getting louder.

_Where the streets have no name_

_Where the streets have no name_

_We're still building_

_Then burning down love, burning down love_

_And when I go there_

_I go there with you..._

_It's all I can do_

Hermione was in a full singing mode, feeling the chills down her spine multiply along her back and arms.

_The city's a flood_

_And our love turns to rust_

_We're beaten and blown by the wind_

_Trampled in dust_

_I'll show you a place_

_High on a desert plain_

_Where the streets have no name_

_Where the streets have no name_

_Where the streets have no name_

_We're still building_

_Then burning down love_

_Burning down love_

_And when I go there_

_I go there with you_

_It's all I can do_

_Our love turns to rust_

_We're beaten and blown by the wind_

_Blown by the wind_

_Oh, and I see love_

_See our love turn to rust_

_We're beaten and blown by the wind_

_Blown by the wind_

_Oh, when I go there_

_I go there with you_

_It's all I can do_

Cedric finished the song louder than it had started and even with tears in his eyes. Hermione turned to him as he finished, swinging one leg over the other side of the bench and moving towards him. She placed her arms around his neck and her head against his looking at the keys. She felt a tear on her skin and for once it was not hers.


End file.
